Hey Matt, kinda surprised you're working so late again. about Roman "doing" his job more often than not, I wonder though about that stat you pulled up being more about the style of defense the niners used rather than Roman performing well. the niners mainly used the the "prevent" style of defense with that umbrella formation giving up the middle. As great as that stat looks, you don't need 20 yds to get a 1st down last time I checked. Your comment about use focusing on roman's deficiencies rather than what he's doing right, however, it most liekly because when he get burned it's for 6.

I'd throw an inquiry to Atogwe.
Nnandi will likely get tagged in Oakland, and I believe Jimmy Williams is a look for FS before he is at CB.
We're sitting pretty for FA, let's see how McSing attacks the market.

Hi Matt. If you examine Kurt Warners personal life, He could very well retire. Unless he needs one more chunck of $$ to accomplish some of his non-profit stuff.

SB: I'm with you on the Roman thing, good point.
Further evidence of Roman as a non-entity at FS is the stat of 39 solo tackles. 39 solos, 0 ints, 0 fumbles forced, 0 sacks.
Now, if we finished in the top 5 or 10 in passing D., maybe you could make a case that he has value, but we didn't. We finished 20th in yards and 19th in efficiency.

Marc: Seconded re: Atogwe. He heads my small list of FA targets (for what it's worth). I'd love Otogwe, and also Chris Canty.
That'd be 2 genuine starters plugged in, freeing McDonald up to rush in the nickel, and freeing Roman up to warm the bench.

Throw in a pass-rusher in the first round and an OT in the second, and we're getting closer to having a team. A play-off team, perchance...

Oh yeah, and we must re-sign Heitman. I know we invested a 4th in Wallace, but Heit is not only our most consistent OL, but also the fulcrum. He's been steadily improving over the last few years, and now, with some better O coaching, might, perhaps, be in contention for a Pro Bowl gig...provided we develop this much anticipated rushing power.

They did resign Heitman.

How on earth did I miss that piece of good news? That's great, thanks Jersey.

Matt,

Although the Cardinals have several players that could possibly move they're set up to bring everyone back including Boldin. The Cardinals are 42 Mil under the cap so if they want to get back to the Super Bowl they certainly have the money to do it & then some. I also agree with Warner coming back because of the season he had being injury free which was key to his success. I believe he has 2 solid years left & that's bad news for the 49ers.

I am hoping the Niners can put the pieces together for a playoff run. If the Cardinals can do it, there is no reason the 9ers can't. I'm hoping the QB question gets solved sooner rather than later. Stability at QB is all, I think, most teams need. 49ers included.

And you call yourself a niner fan?.......let me guess you want them to franchise JTO.....

MM - Thanks for the info on Roman, I wasn't aware that the secondary had been doin so well in that category. I'm usually pretty ciritcal of Roman too.

Do you think the Niners might look to D. Walker to take over at the fullback spot?

Matt, can you please provide the cap room of each of the 4 teams. Thanks!!!

cmon...this is so obvious, the cards are not even going to make the playoffs next yr.....one word....injuries!!!

I have a feeling Warner is going to retire. I have to give him credit, he played exceptional. I can't wait until next season. Wish there weren't 4 preseason games....

Comment: Oh yeah, and we must re-sign Heitman. I know we invested a 4th in Wallace, but Heit is not only our most consistent OL.

My response: Heitmann signed a new deal that added three years to his contract.

http://blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers/2008/10/niners-sign-heitmann-to-contract-extension.html

--Matt M.

Question: Matt, can you please provide the cap room of each of the 4 teams?

My response: Your wish is my command.

The projected cap is $123 million per team. These numbers are approximate, of course:

Cardinals $41 million under
49ers $26 million under
Seahawks $9 million under
Rams $8 million under

--Matt M.

I easily agree with Shield Battery on this one, Matt. I'm shocked that you would offer such deceptive stats to make a case in defense of Roman. Maybe you have an agenda... maybe you just like the guy... maybe you just feel like playng devil's advocate for fun. Your assessments of both Roman and Franklin are inaccurate, and seem to indicate your lack of studying them in-game. I mean no offense by this post, it's just an opinion. You do lots of good work here, but some rare times, you just seem off your game.

Matt you raise a good point about Roman, but I do think an upgrade is needed. I'd put FS behind RT and DL on our list of needs, with RT being the most important.

The point is that Roman is not a spectacular player like Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu, but he's also not the terrible player that the blogs & talk shows have portrayed him to be. Sometimes a guy is just quietly effective in ways that we fans can't see but his coaches and other players can. Heck, all NFL safeties spend more time not being seen on TV (because they line up so far back in the secondary) than they do on screen. Heck, Ed Reed is invisible until he makes an INT.

Hi Matt,

You are being overly kind to Roman. he may be smart etc, but he does not have the speed or coverage skills to play free safety, and he is not a big hitter in the Carlton Williamson mold to play strong safety. At best he is a nickel back who comes in on three or four wideout sets. The stats you quote remind me of the famous line about Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics.

Different subject: There are two Niner related items in the ESPN.COM NFL rumor list. 1. Bryant Johnson will leave the team via free agency. 2. Frank Gore's carries will be sharply lower in 2009. You know anything about these rumors. I am particularly intrested in #2 since it seems to be at odds with Singletary's smash mouth run oriented offense.

question to MM - what happened to your archives?.....I am trying to find the opinions you made about JTO during the 2008 nfl season.....looks like they have been DELETED.....

Comment: Matt. I'm shocked that you would offer such deceptive stats to make a case in defense of Roman. Maybe you have an agenda... maybe you just like the guy... maybe you just feel like playng devil's advocate for fun.

My response: As I see it, a free safety should: a) help prevent big plays; b) provide takeaways; c) create intimidation with big hits. Roman does not create turnovers and he doesn't come up with big hits. However, the 49ers did not give up many big plays in 2008. --Matt M.

Matt, the GM has stated that this will not be an aggressive free agency. We are approx. 26 mill under now. Restructure Alex to a two year deal, and we are another 4-5 mill under. And I don't know if we are going to cut Jennings, but do that (with the special designation where he can still pursue FA in Feb, but only officially cut from the team after June 1st), and that is another 4 mill off the cap. So with the possibility of 34-35 under the cap what are we going to do, give someone 20 mill in incentives they aren't going to earn?

Stable QB play is good, but so is having 2-4 potential HOF's on offense and some solid guys on Defense. I agree though that stability at the QB spot is a huge priority for us, I just hope they don't gamble on it at the #10 spot.

Here is the scoop out of Cardinal land, Warner has stated that he will either retire or stay a Cardinal, a 2 year deal in the 18-20 million range is what's being discussed. Dansby seems almost a lock to be re-signed. Boldin of course is the biggest question mark. He has been disgruntled all year and wants a Fitz type deal. Speculation is they either trade him or try and work a new deal. It's going to be tough to keep all 3 guys above though, plus word is Wilson and Dockett want an extension and there's also the RB situation, many believe Edge comes back and Arrington leaves.

Question: what happened to your archives?

My response: The monthly archive is the right side of the page. In September, the PD decided to upgrade the blog. I carried over some reference material. But the archive from training camp and into the start of the regular season can be found at:

49ers.pressdemocrat.com.

--Matt M.

Hope that the Niners will steal some good players from the division opponents - although Free Agency is the bandage for poor draft Picks. The 49ers did terrible in assessing talents during the last 10 years. The Steelers have done the opposite, and that's why they won the 6th SB. Hope the 49ers have learned from their past 1st round blunders (price paid: No show in play-offs for 7 straight years):

Rashaun Woods (disastrous pick)
Kwame Harris (bad pick - lasted for while)
Mike Rumph (Unfortunate)
Reggie McGrew (disastrous pick - should refund the money)
R.W. McQuarters (Hmmm)
Jim Druckenmiller (disastrous pick)
Israel Ifeanyi (disastrous pick)
J.J. Stokes (Never lived up to expectation)
Dana Hall (disastrous pick)

The Rams were brutal in the two games against the 49ers and that includes the come from behind game. But OJ Atogwe really stood out the best player on that team. He always seemed to be involved. Maybe also the Rams were so bad that he looked that much better. But he'd be a big upgrade over Mark Roman....if the price is right

Question: So with the possibility of 34-35 under the cap what are we going to do, give someone 20 mill in incentives they aren't going to earn?

My response: The 49ers would like to use some of that cap room for contract extensions. Haralson, Franklin, Davis, Lawson and Baas have deals that are coming up. And is it too early to start thinking about a long-term contract extension for Willis? --Matt M.

Comment: OJ Atogwe really stood out the best player on that team. He always seemed to be involved. Maybe also the Rams were so bad that he looked that much better. But he'd be a big upgrade over Mark Roman....if the price is right

My response: Agreed. --Matt M.

Matt, you stated the Niners wouldn't likely go after Simms, as he is a question mark. In looking at the FA QBs, There don't seem to be many better options out there. Collins will want to be a starter. Garcia? Garrard? Leftwich? Charlie Batch? Where do you think they'd look?

(for anyone interested, you can find the FA list here: http://www.kffl.com/static/nfl/features/freeagents/fa.php?option=QB&y=2009 )

The Niners are okay with Hill as their QB next year, if no one can beat him out. None of the QBs in FA are going to be able to do that. So anyone they sign would be as insurance and thus a backup QB. If Smith resigns, he will be that man, and no FA QB will be signed. That leaves the 3rd string guy, who will probably be a mid to late round draft choice to groom for the future in case Smith never develops. I tend to agree with oneniner, though. Smith will eventually be the long term starter.

Just because McCloughan said that they won't be players in FA doesn't mean that it's true. There's usually a fair amount of posturing done around this time.

I do not think Smith is done in this league, he was too young to be starting when he was, showed promise, then got injured back to back. He's still got some potential. I prefer Hill to start until he loses the job because he's shown that he can win games and the guy has heart. If Hill and Sing were QB and HC all year we'd have been in the playoffs.

Speaking of Hill, there is a recent interview with Singletary here regarding Hill, among other things. He says it's basically Hill's job to lose and that he will enter TC as the starter. I think it's a wise choice. While not always pretty, Hill has shown he can lead this team and the players obviously look up to and respect him.

Can't wait to see what this team looks like after an off season under Singletary :)

Roman is not a good option at safety because his skills at playing the ball in the air are terrible, and his tackling is only so-so. He is good at diagnosing what is happening. He is a smart guy who knows what to do - but his physical ability to make plays is limited. He is an incomplete package.

Matt, when you take into account restructured deals and cuts, what do you think the 49ers cap space will end up looking like? I'm thinking at the very least they will save some money from Alex Smith and Jonas Jennings if/when he is released, but is there anyone else that might not be with the team next year?

I remember in the Raye press conference Sing said he was "very happy" with Hill. That indicates to me that what he was saying in December about the QB position was just to cover his butt if McNabb or someone like that fell into their lap. Hill will be our starter until he loses the job.

Also, I've been thinking that exact same thing re: Sing having a full offseason with these guys. My only concern is that he works them too hard in camp and injuries occur as a result. They'll be ready to play, though, that's for sure.

The 49ers would like to use some of that cap room for contract extensions. Haralson, Franklin, Davis, Lawson and Baas have deals that are coming up. And is it too early to start thinking about a long-term contract extension for Willis?

So the contract extensions would go against the 2009 cap?

As for this Mark Roman argument, another way to say it is: Mark Roman creates no turnovers and provides no big hits, BUT he makes up for it with his complete lack of speed. He does, however, show great consistency arriving late to the play. Roman was terrible with the Packers(which is why they let him walk in the first place), and he has picked right up here where he left off there....he is flat out bad, I'm not sure how anyone can argue otherwise, to be honest. We've all suffered through enough Sundays watching his play. It's a case of yet another 49er 2nd string quality guy playing 1st string ball. This defense will be a TON better when they remove him and replace him with someone who can hit and create and be around the ball. It can't happen soon enough for me, I've seen enough of him. Time to draft a real safety.

From what I understand, contract extensions basically void the previous contract and start anew. Not really sure why they even call then 'extensions', really.

I agree with you on this one Skeebers! I believe if the HC and OC name Hill the starter right now, it would help Hill and the offense imeasurably! Hill proved, at least to me, the better of the 3 QB'S on the team! Granted Smith has the problem with the shoulder, but Hill seems to make better decisions and plays the game better as far as, getting rid of the ball quicker, scrambling, holding on to the ball, and reading the defenses better.
Also, Hill has never really been in the more comfortable position of being named THEE guy. He has always had the pressure of being put in because the other QB'S failed. But the guy thrives on pressure! When he begged the HC "not to take him out" even though he had made, up until that time, disastrous mistakes and decisions, he got that chance and came through with the winning TD pass with just seconds remaining! The sign of a Steve Young type of toughness to me! And the players seem to be more comfortable with him! You can tell they like his leadership!
I know observers complain he looks awful in practice, but there have been QB's throughout NFL history who have had that problem starting with Johnny U. But give me that guy, when the whistle blows, takes the snap and becomes the leader of the offense! And that is what Hill has done as far as I'm concerned!
Let him know he's the guy now! He's earned it!

The scary thing about the Cards is their youth. And when youth with talent begins to believe in themselves, like the 49ers first SB team, they become a tough team to beat! that's what happened to them in the playoffs. Their performance in the SB against the Steelers was really amazing! They never gave up, even when things worked against them and they made some mistakes! They made the Steelers have to play their game of the year to beat the Cards!
Leinart surprised me with his total collapse this season! Either he's a dud or he just needs somemore time on the bench, and learning from a more accomplished QB and QB coach! And that's not unusual. There aren't a whole lot of Flacco's, although the Ravens defense played a lot in their scheme of winning for them, and he didn't really carry a heavy load of offense in his head. That seems to have been proved in the playoffs! Big Ben's aren't just sitting all around ready to be picked on draft day!
I think a guy here and there on defense, and at times a better scheme against certain teams would work for next year. The problem seems to be, as usual, a more flexible offense that is not static in its approach to other teams! Not the Martz approach, but an approach that is open when it needs to be, and clock consuming with short and medium passes mixed with runs, when the 49ers get into a high scoring game!

Hopefully, our off season conditioning program will help prevent most of the injuries in TC. But yes, we should expect Singletary to work these guys hard. As he has said before, "he'll challenge them to their very core". It should be interesting :)

Comment: "From what I understand, contract extensions basically void the previous contract and start anew. Not really sure why they even call then 'extensions', really."

My Response: I mean no disrespect whatsoever, but I was really hoping for an answer from Maiooco. He is the one getting paid to know these kinds of things.

"The problem seems to be, as usual, a more flexible offense that is not static in its approach to other teams!"

Oddly enough, that's exactly what the Cards DON'T have. They were dead last by 6 ypg. The Bengals, in contrast, were almost 20ypg above them. In fact, only the colts and Lions were within 10ypg. The fact that they even made the playoffs with numbers like that is astounding.

None taken. Just throwing my two pennies in the ring.

If Spikes leaves, is there a chance Singletary would go after Ray Lewis? Of course, that is if the Ravens let him go.

Matt, do you know if the Niners will look to add a FA RB, or get one through the draft? Basically, I'm wondering if there's any chance they'll pursue Derrick Ward. He and Gore would be a very explosive tandem.

Forget the linebackers. We're all forgetting how Darnell Dockett was such a wrecking ball in the middle during the Super Bowl. Now I'm taking a harder look at BJ Raji – he could be a DT with similar impact.

I'm secretly hoping my boy Sanchez is nabbed before #10 so that the Niners can zero in their focus on DT or OT.

I still stand by that statement. And as for statistics, anyone who bets on the games knows statistics for each game means zip! Heck, statistics are for the guys who play that game where you draft players every year and compare their stats every week to see who wins!
Don't get me wrong, statistics do play there part when analyzing and breaking down a team! But if statistics decided the games, everybody could go outside and wash the car during the games because you'd know the winners before hand. And the Cards would have never been past the first playoff game let alone the SB.
I still believe you've got to be flexible when it comes to offense! The Steelers and the Cards both proved that in the SB!

I was sold on BJ Raji after reading about his dominance at the Senior Bowl practices, then I watch the game and he all but disappeared. Seriously - he had zero impact on more than 30 snaps and that worries me. There has not been a more dominant D-tackle in the last 4 years than Glenn Dorsey and he did nothing in his first year. That’s what worries me about going NT/DT with that first pick. It’s a 2010-2011 type return. This team is close and needs a few pieces to push them over the edge. A left tackle would start from day 1 and play well…… but its not a sexy pick. I’m still leaning towards OLB/pass rushers or Crabtree/Sanchez if they fall to us at #10.

Yeah our defense was pretty good in 20+ yard plays given up, but I've read the statistic on our defense against 40+ yard plays given up (maybe on this blog), and we're one of the worst.

why would anyone in their right mind think sanchez should be picked in the 1st round talk less of number 10.....are you ok upstairs?...after everything we know about the nfl and the probability of busts every freaking yr...you want to draft a qb from college who only started 16 games. ...16 college games is equivalent to 3 nfl games......are you freaking kidding me, what is wrong with you?......you should ask yourself this question first will you pay him millions of your own money just because you saw him play at usc....what is wrong with your thinking here?...i dnt get it...oo...oo..ooo, i get it now, you were the same person screaming JTO would be a hall of famer...ok i get, it is a state of mind....

Comment: From what I understand, contract extensions basically void the previous contract and start anew. Not really sure why they even call then 'extensions', really.

My response: Contract extensions take place when years are added to existing contracts. If a player is under contract to a team and he signed a deal that "extends" the contract, it's a contract extension. New money can be applied as signing bonuses, which are prorated for cap purposes over the contract's life, or with base salaries and roster bonuses, the full amount of which count against the cap in those given years. --Matt M.

Question: So the contract extensions would go against the 2009 cap?

My response: Yes, more money would count against the 2009 cap if the 49ers were to reach contract extensions. They can structure contracts in a number of different ways. Let's say they agree to a deal with Haralson to give him five more years with $10 million in guaranteed money. Well, they could give it to him in a signing bonus that counts $2 million against the cap each season. Or, if they have a lot of cap space, they could present him with a $10 million roster bonus that all counts against that year's cap. There are ways they can structure contracts that make sense, depending on their financial situation. --Matt M.

Off topic, but I read the interview with Al Davis after the Tom Cable hiring. Good grief! I must say, I am happy with Jed York after reading that. It almost made me dizzy. I suggest Niner fans read it. Makes The Niners look brilliant and awsome by comparison.

Oneniner aren't you being a little harsh? You've made it abundantly clear how much you like Alex in the past-maybe mike just doesn't see the same merit there and prefers Sanchez.. simple enough!(by the way I wouldn't condone that pick either but I fully support his right to differ there!).I'll simply weigh in by saying Alex was handled poorly in the past and( it is a shame life isn't always fair) it clearly affected his maturity as a player...it is saddening! He seems to be good kid and I think he can play ball-one way or another I wish him the best! S. Hill well it isn't pretty but he is fighter and a winner -got like that!As far as QB's in the draft I would be surprised to see us pick one above the 4th round-there are some small school prospects we could pick up later -see MIKE REILLY(C.WASH) or Greg Micheli (Mount Union) check em' out!

Hey Matt, a little off topic here but I'm reading grumblings about Tony Gonzalez wanting to be traded. Do you think the Niners would entertain obtaining him for this season or would Gonzalez only want to play for an elite team?

Link please, so we can all enjoy reading about the senility called Raider Nation.

It's Tim Kawakami's.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami/2009/02/04/al-davis-after-the-cable-presser-we-may-be-a-year-away/#more-3477

Here's a link to an NFL.com article about the lessons learned from the Super Bowl. Obviously it's just one guy's opinion, but it sure flies in the face of the Mike Singletary philosophy as we know it:

http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story?id=09000d5d80e92771&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

I like Sanchez also but certainly not a 10 pick.
Seems to me the QB situation should come down to FA and a later round project pick.
Nate Davis might be worth a look, I'll be checking on the Combine coverage certainly for a number of positions.
If we are serious about being a legit 3-4 team, a NT is a must.
Whether it's at 10 or not is the question.
I can live with an elephant at 10, or, an OT.
Of course, as we've learned over the years, anything can happen.

hahahaaha ... oneniner is .... right again ! as i stated with nolan after year one, and jto before the season, they both are not the answer....last year at this time i was trying to say we neede a top wr. , but got ignored , only to find s holmes and fitz be the big players in the super bowl this year !!!! .... this year i can only to point to the "play" of roman in the game vs. the jets as the prime reason he is our worst starter. any one who writes about football who missed that should be replaced asap....

I know that the AFL is out of business this year, maybe we can pick up a kurt warner of our own, test him out on the practice squad =).

I think the lack of big plays was more to do with our above average cornerbacks also we didn't seem to face too many explosive offenses. I have visions of what the Cowboys and Saints did to us. Roman might as well have been field marker in those games. And let's not even talk about the missed tackles in the 2nd Seattle game. Dump him. Let's quit looking for the bright side of Mark Roman.

Think what a pass rush does for the secondary too.
Romo doesn't find T.O. if we could have been 2 steps closer.
Granted the entire league could make this argument, but I truly feel we're in need of an inside presence to allow the edge guys and LB/CB blitzes to develop.
I'm hopeful Sing has a stronger plan to feature the 3-4 then NoPlan did.

Atogwe would seem to be a FS upgrade...but, here's a couple of other names to consider: Sean Jones of the Browns and Jermaine Phillips of the Bucs. They've both been SS on their teams...but are very good players who could probably play FS. Phillips had 4 picks last season and over 100 tackles...of course, that was as a SS. However, it shows he's a good tackler and can play the football. Jones has had 4-5 picks each of his three years w/Browns. So, either guy might be more of a ballhawk than Roman.

Yea seriously clements really did an awesome job this year with the exception of the Dallas game. and Walt really stepped up in the later part of the season. i just wish that he could have gotten his INTs outside of trash time when they can make a real impact.

i thought i was been nice, i mean after all we know about the draft and football, all the research, all the stats, it is insulting to the readers on this blog to suggest we draft a college qb who has only started 16 games in the FIRST ROUND. I just cant see how a brain can lead to that opinion. I can go on and on about the draft but really do we need to discuss a QB with 16 college starts being drafted in the 1st round.....maybe my response was harsh to MIKE but he insulted my intelligence first......by the way I feel your pain about A.Smith, dont worry he will be back playing next yr.....why else would Norv Turner be the main source of inspiration to our new offense.....everything about our new OC, QB coach, Offensive scheme smells like Turner.........obviously McGm wants A.Smith to succeed so instead of starting him fresh with a new offense, he approved an offense he knows A.Smith will excel in.....this is common sense people!!!

Oneniner - You talk a big game, so put your money where your mouth is. With everyone on this blog as a witness you have stated that there is NO WAY Sanchez goes in the top 10 or even the first round of the upcoming draft for that matter. Let's chat on here draft day. I would NOT characterize your response to me as harsh, instead, it just makes you look like a 14 year old that cannot control his emotions. Let’s see who is right on draft day. Feel free to go through my comments on past blogs (just click my name) as I never was sold on JTO, but thanks for putting words in my mouth.

Oneniner - Please post on this blog the combined college starts of Tom Brady and Matt Cassell. (Here is a clue - one of these QB's never started a college game in his life). I would take either over any QB the Niners have started this decade, sans Garcia.

Some people are of the opinion that being aggressive in training camp actually prevents injuries (a by product of the notion that being too lax in training camp doesn't condition the players well enough for the season and injuries result)

Well that's good to hear. Either way I'm very excited about having him at the helm this July instead of the other Mike.

And guys, it might be best to just ignore OneNiner. While Alex Smith might still pan out, I'm not sure that this guy's actually ever brought anything to the table.

I would not pass on Stafford or Sanchez if either falls to us at 10. I see us taking Jason Smith OT Baylor at 10 which I'm fine with although I would prefer getting Percy,Percy,Percy!!

I'm laughing because oneniner picked the wrong guy to fight in the school yard – I was the one who kicked off the Sanchez discussion in the first place. And yes, I do feel he's worthy of a top ten selection. I've watched all the SC games, I've read the scouting reports, I've even read the legal papers on the date rape accusation against him – and still, he's worthy of a top ten selection in my humblest opinion.

Oneniner, I commend your passion and dedication to our beloved team, but keep your hostility down to a dull roar – otherwise Matt will be putting you in the timeout chair again.

I'm also with franchise. if Percy is available, I hope the Niners don't let him pass by. I have a feeling that he won't be there at #10. I also hope they make at least one more big money FA signing. I know there is talk of not splashing in FA, but there is some great names out there...Namdi, Peppers,etc... could you imagine-Clements and Asamougha! We would have the potential to be one of, if not the best CB tandems in the league. Draft a pass rusher, and pick up Asamougha!! That would help us compete even better with the Cards. Gameday against the Cards would be incredible...Nmamdi vs. Fitzgerald, and Clemments vs. Boldin. Mouth watering.

Just my 2 cents but I truly hope they do not draft a QB with our 1st pick and don't think they will. I don't believe Stafford or Sanchez are 1st round worthy but will go in the 1st because of the lack of top tier QB talent in this draft. I honestly think at least one if not both of those guys will fall farther in the 1st than most think (like Brady Quinn). Both are not considered NFL ready and I don't think there is much of argument that next years QB class is supposed to be far superior to this one. There are some guys in the mid-late rounds that may be worth taking a gamble on and there are a few FA's that could be brought in to help this year, one guy who really started to come on late last year was Ryan Fitzpatrick from the Bengals, he may be worth a longer look. I honestly don't think we can afford to gamble another high 1st on an already suspect QB class (I know they are always hit or miss), especially considering how many holes we have to fill. We could use a solid RT, WR, and have several spots on Defense to cover. This may be a year to think about trading down as well.

Harvin is a very talented kid no doubt but he seems to me to be one of those total boom or bust type guys. He fluctuated back and forth from WR to RB, his route running needs work but he is a heck of an athlete. He also comes with an injury flag, seems he is always getting nicked up, usually lower body injuries. I think in he is one of those guys who if used correctly will be a big benefit to his team but he also could be misused and wind up having to claw his way out of a special teams role. He was another "hybrid" who essentially was a small WR playing RB. He will need time to become a solid NFL WR and I hope if drafted that's what they use him as full time. Again either a nice gem that works out and adds options to a team or another Reggie Bush kind of guy who is always nicked up because how he plays and what he is used for.

Remember that Reggie Bush was never really hurt in college. Frank Gore is someone who was an injury wreck in college. I agree with you, but as you say if used correctly, Harvin can bring major match-up drama to defenses league wide. I still doubt he'll be available to us. O line/D line is probably the Niners best chance at success.

Looks like Reeves isn't going to Dallas afterall:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3884953

Guys - check out KNBR.com and listen to our GM's recent interview or his Q&A's on 49ers.com. We will be getting a good talented Running back next year to compliment Gore, but he favors the big backs that can pound it out. I think that all but rules out Harvin.

Al Davis' thoughts on our OC Hire from Yesterday's press conference:

Q: You had Jimmy Raye here as an assistant. Were you surprised he ended up as the 49ers offensive coordinator?

-DAVIS: No, he’s been a coordinator elsewhere. For what he does, I can see where Singletary would like what Jimmy does.

-Q: In the physical style?

-DAVIS: I didn’t say that. I said he would run the ball and he’s fundamentally sound. He’s a no-mistake guy. I could see he and Singletary meeting and matching.

Dude....we went through this draft predictions last yr...i predicted a certain WR, cant recall his name won't be drafted has high contrary to what most of the whinners on here thought ..i was right.........and i will stand by my thoughts ...there is no way sanchez gets drafted in the top 10...its just not possible...i mean cmon.....this is freaking common sense.....

once again it shows your lack of you know what....You really think Brady or Cassel would have succeeded in the NFL if they were not part of the New England System?.....i mean cmon, you just can't think like that....you really think brady would be the golden boy if he had played for the browns or lets say the cardinals or a similar team with a revolving door of coaches every yr....you forget he was drafted in the bottom round for a reason even though he was from USC.....sure there are gems in the bottom rounds but it takes the right combination of a player and team drafted in the bottom round to succeeed....to make a blanket statement that Brady or Cassel were successful just because they were from USC whom i cant recall the last time they won a championship even though they consistently have there players drafted is just plain " ".......i wont even go there......

no team in their right mind would draft sanchez that high and expect him to seat on the bench for 2 yrs...its just bad GOP economics.........if that isnt the scenario then i guess you would expect the team to draft him that high and start him ..lets say the 3rd game of the season....now not only is that foolish..it is suicide..........

"Dude....we went through this draft predictions last yr...i predicted a certain WR, cant recall his name won't be drafted has high contrary to what most of the whinners on here thought"

Lemme help you remember. James Hardy. Thank god the niner brass didn't listen to your verbal fellating and avoided that mess.

Sanchez may get drafted that high, but that doesn't mean he's good enough to get drafted that high.

"if that isnt the scenario then i guess you would expect the team to draft him that high and start him ..lets say the 3rd game of the season....now not only is that foolish..it is suicide.........."

Sounds like something a certain team did with a certain player whose last name is Smith... Just because it doesn't make sense doesn't mean teams won't do it.

Thank you Shootme. I was about to cut and paste Oneniners RANTS from last year regarding James Hardy. Bro - your draft knowledge is doo doo. I'm sorry, but your James Hardy love fest was pathetic and he is a BUST. BTW - Desean Jackson is top 15 round one talent, regardless of where he was drafted. He proved that this past season (Something your boy A. Smith has yet to do) And Tom Brady went to Michigan…. Not SC. Only Cassell went to SC.

Tom Brady didn't go to USC. He went Michigan. And by the way, Matt Ryan was drafted in the top ten. I guess you thought that was suicide for them to play him from day one. Please grow up.

What the falcons did with Matt Ryan would have been suicide had they not:

a) drafted a top notch LT in the first round, as well
b) signed a great FA back in Michael Turner.

Most teams (niners included) who draft a QB in the top ten throw him behind a terrible o-line with a mediocre rushing attack. Of course, these points are lost on oneniner.

Agreed. Just making fun.

He's down in the corner. There's a cut over his eye, blood gushing from his nose. He's taking a knee. The referee's counting...2...3...is he gonna get up?...4...5...it looks like it's all over for the one nine man...6...7...

Niners hire longtime Holmgren associate

Bill Nayes is back in the NFC West after spending the past three seasons at the University of Wisconsin. The 49ers have hired Nayes -- Mike Holmgren's former longtime associate -- to serve Mike Singletary as special assistant to the head coach.

Nayes fills one of those administrative positions we hear little about. He was with Holmgren in Green Bay and later Seattle. The 49ers' general manager, Scot McCloughan, was also with Holmgren for quite a few of those years.

Generally I would not single out a lower-profile hire such as this one, but I think this hire is significant for the 49ers because Singletary lacks an administrative background in the NFL. He'll need to lean on someone with operational experience.

Comment: Please post on this blog the combined college starts of Tom Brady and Matt Cassell. (Here is a clue - one of these QB's never started a college game in his life).

My response: I don't know if there's an answer for how many college starts is considered too few. Sanchez started 16 games for USC's pro-style offense. Alex Smith started 23 games for Utah's shotgun-spread offense, and the 49ers chose him No. 1 overall. --Matt M.

[My response: I don't know if there's an answer for how many college starts is considered too few.]--

Actually, Matt, there is a pretty decent answer to that question. It's called the Lewin Career Forecast. Check it out:

http://www.ninersnation.com/2008/10/28/648563/a-statistical-look-at-draf

Mike! Please don't quote Al Davis here! Times are hard enough for us 49er fans! LOL!

Marc -nj49er-I agree about NT at 10-if RAJI is there(I don't see Brace in first round and Suh is being cool and staying in school!)I would be just fine with OT or Elephant i.e.positions of need...I'm looking forward to the combine.Last year I was on the Jordy Nelson bandwagon so far the guy that intrigues me is is Mike Reilly QB who will be at the Combine -curious to see how he shows!

It's fun to speculate on the direction the team might take, but I'm hoping they avoid another high round QB pick.
What NoPlan should have done (IMO), was build solid lines.
I've noticed that Mayock realigned his board to separate the DE-OLB rankings.
Everette is now #5 on the OLB side. That might be a good thing, I like him first as an edge rusher.
It's gonna be interesting to see the teams' view of the board if Raji/Oher/Brown make it to 10.

Warner signs a new contrat, Lienert could become available.
Drafting a QB would show severe brain damage. OT, Saftey Linebacker is what is needed.
You know it and I know it.

If that is indeed the kind of back they want then Beaney Wells could very well be the back selected. I would'nt understand that philosophy considering the contributions a guy like Percy can give you. Spell Gore, split backfield with Gore, receiver/3rd down receiver, punt returner.

Severe Brain Damage? You don't pass on a franchise QB that falls into your lap at pick 10. Alex Smith was not a franchise QB and we took him at #1-that's severe brain damage dude.

It is indeed fun to speculate-as we did last year(this is Buzz-don't know if you remember me from last year...changed id on a whim when Matt changed the blog)!E Brown is a monster and would be happy with him at 10 if he falls that far!I've got this thing about small school prospects-finding a diamond in the ruff appeals on many levels. The 2 qb's i mentioned would be lower round pickups with what appears be great potential (and largely under the radar although M. Reilly will move up the boards w/ good combine I suspect!)What do you think of Phillip Hunt -another sleeper who seems super talented as pass rusher?

I am hoping Maybin isn't our pick like Kiper's board says. I only have a small sample set to go by, but I was watching a replay of the Rose Bowl and he seemed to be easily blocked. He reminded me of most of the pass rushers we have drafted, some decent combine numbers, but the just end up stiffled by NFL offensive linemen. If someone out there has better info on Maybin please share. I would like to know why he is rated so high by Kiper...and a couple of other websites. We can say we was facing great college competion in the Rose Bowl (playing USC), but he will be facing better than that every Sunday.

Hey Buzz-
I hear you on the Diamond in the rough guys, just save them for the mid to late rounds.
A guy I really want to see playing for us is OG Duke Robinson.
Hard to see him making it to Rd 2 and I don't see him in the Top 20, but who's to say?
I'd love to have a shot at him though at 43.
IMO, Baas isn't the answer at LG, we'll see how McSing treats it.
We can dream up a myriad of options, I just hope they locate immediate contributor on something other then Special Teams in Rds 1-3.
No more Nolan, no more tweeners.
Build the Lines

I'm getting a little intrigued with the LBs too.
We certainly can't have enough help outside of Patrick too.
Suggs if he hits the market and perhaps hanging onto Takeo would be a worthy option, but there could be some good value in the Rd 3-4 area.
A like a FB in Rd 4 too, hopefully a Comp pick comes at least at Rd 4, Rd 3 would be phenominal.
Guessing a 4 and 7 Comp combo?

One has to assume the absence of a monster fullback will be of concern as we enter the draft Marc -nj49er I wish we could get Brian Leonard on a deal from the Rams -he reminds of me a young Rathman-someone mentioned VD at that position an interesting idea!?!Niner Bob I think Kiper needs some sleep on that one!By the way another later round pick I like is RB Herb Donaldson worth a look!

I'd put my money on FB being addressed in FA, with maybe another selected in the later rounds. Would not be surprised to see Tony Richardson in red & gold, or if not, I wouldn't mind having Moran Norris back at all.

With the inevitable sing thing coming, we better draft or FA tough FB's! We'll need 2 good FB's in order not to run into trouble like last year! The Rathman and Johnston types are a rarity in durability!
I still believe Hill named as #1 QB is most important! The guy has the guts of Steve Young and with support from the Club I believe he'll pay off!
The offensive line still needs to be addressed because over an over last year they proved unable to make the push on 3rd and one! Even when they found themselves on the goal line!
I think with the receivers we have, another year with Hill will only make them better!
On defense, I can't stop remembering the wide open receivers the CB's and Safeties left open at the most crucial times! Roman was late on numerous occasions coming over to help strained CB's! Don't get me wrong, there were games this unit played exceptionally well, but there were games that had complete breakdowns over and over again by the CB's and Safeties! At times during the season it seemed that opponents OC's saw something in the the tapes and took advantage of the weaknesses that were seen! And other times OC's were completely at a loss at what to do because the coverage was so good!
But most important to me is pressure on the QB! It's a proven winner! It stopped Montana, Young, Fouts, and every other great QB! When you see the oppositions QB with the back of his uniform green and brown from turf, you know the D's having a good day!
To me, we need a pass rush guy! A constant pressure guy! We also need 2 FB's and another running back to go with Gore so he doesn't carry ALL the load! I believe he can when asked to carry it, but it's better to have someone who brings a little different style, but not a fumbler, in there when Gore takes a breather. It definetly puts the defense on their heals!

DE is weak this year in the draft. I can't find a Mario Williams-caliber player out there - they're once every five years. Everyone's talking about Orakapo, but he's projected to play OLB according to PFW because of his size and weight.

As for our good friend Roman, patience patience. Taylor Mays will be available in 2010 for the Niners to grab. Just pray that he stays healthy.

Personally I'm looking at the 2 to 4 year plan for the Niners to be playoff-competitive, rather than the 09 plan.

Because DE is weak in this years draft, it might be wise to take a serious run at Julius Peppers. I am convinced that Peppers and Justin Smith would raise the play of Abrayo Franklin, Mark Roman, and everyone else on the defense. Matt and everyone else, does this make sense?

I was in a rush typing my comment - had to catch a flight....yea T.Brady did attend USC - but you still didn't dispute my point - WOULD TOM BRADY BE THE PLAYER IS HIS NOW IF HE HAD NOT BEEN IN THE NEW ENGLAND SYSTEM?......and I was not referring to Hardy….True I did want Hardy, who is currently not a BUST.....the debate I think was about drafting a speedy WR in the 1st round who was a KR/PR in college for WR/KR/PR duties in the NFL, I believe it was either Donnie Avery, Early Doucet or Jackson......and I said no way a team drafts a KR/PR that early - AND I WAS RIGHT.......I also noticed most of the whinners are trying to compare Sanchez to A. Smith or Ryan's experience in college.....NO CAN DO....A. Smith not only won so many games without a top receiver, his physical attributes and intelligence in college made him very attractive to the NFL( Go back to the 2005 draft the only one with big time success is Cassel and maybe Jason Campbell) you can cross Cassel out because of New England.......anybody with a brain and watched college football knows last yr Matt Ryan was more prepared and NFL ready compared to Sanchez right now........If you will like to know a stat that will help you better understand what is going on ..look and compare the stats of QB in the nfl with the number of starts they had in college....there is an overwhelming evidence the more starts you have in college the better chance you succeed in the NFL....IT IS JUST A FACT.